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Einstein’s Brain a Wonder of Connectedness (Los Angeles Times)

Posted onOctober 14, 2013

A new analysis of photographs of Albert Einstein’s post-mortem brain reveals that regions of the theoretical physicist’s brain were not only larger, but also better connected than those of most people, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The Times turns to Peter Ulric Tse ’84, a professor of psychological and brain sciences, for his response to the study. Tse, who, the article notes, “recently explored the underpinnings of artistic, scientific, and mathematical creativity, said the findings underscore that the ways in which we use our brains, and the consistency with which we do so, may matter more as we age.”

While Einstein’s brain was found to be better connected in comparison to the brains of other men his age, it was not as drastically different from the brains of younger people, the article notes. “We should therefore not conclude that Einstein’s genius was caused by some part of his brain being slightly larger than average,” Tse tells the Times. “It might be that his brain was slightly larger in these areas because he exercised these regions more than the average person.”